Now that I have your attention. 😏
Lately I have been so overwhelmed with content that I unintentionally have been spending so much less time on social media. More consumption equals less creation. Instead of aimlessly scrolling and tapping, I’ve been taking my pen to paper and writing. I do, however, still get caught up in rabbit holes of research — finding out why things are the way they are, tracking back to the root of the evolution of things —the who, what, when, where, why, and how. The analytic in me gets lost in finding connections, flows, and reference points.
“Questions are never indiscreet, answers sometimes are.” – Oscar Wilde
Attention is currency and the driving force for consumption.
We are living in a creator economy where dopamine is fueled by likes, comments, impressions, reach, and engagement. The youth of today were basically forced to consume all things digital during covid. From education to entertainment, their eyes have basically been glued to glaring digital screens. It’s no surprise that there has been a rise of mental health issues in today’s youth. Kids know how to search on YouTube before they know fine motor skills like holding a pencil, cutting with scissors, putting puzzles together, tying their shoes, or brushing their teeth.
According to a survey conducted by Morning Consult, nearly 60% of respondents in Generation Z born between 1997 and 2012 said they would take the job of social media influencer over their current employment.
41% of adults would be social media influencers which shows people earning money to post photos and videos endorsing a product or service.
53% of the same people surveyed believe being an influencer is a reputable career choice.
3 in 10 teens and young adults even said they would pay to become an influencer.
Where are the future doctors, scientists, firefighters, teachers, construction workers, artists, astronauts, musicians?
In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." -Andy Warhol
The imbalance between creation and consumption continues to widen as we witness and experience technological advances such as artificial intelligence (AI), the automation of everything, and [faster| instant gratification. Years ago, we had to wait, earn, learn or search for the things we consumed. From waiting on lines at the music stores to later searching for music online before streaming took over the masses. I remember rushing to the radio at 8pm to listen to the “Top 8 at 8” to make sure I didn’t miss my favorite songs.
When new songs came out, I want to sing along so I made it my mission to create a book lyrics. I wanted to learn the choreography from the latest music videos (TikTok dancers wouldn’t stand a chance in 1999), so I rushed from school to catch MTV to catch songs that became timeless.
Sometimes I feel like I sound like an old lady reminiscing about how things were “back in my day. Other times I feel like artists and fans just had more of an appreciation for the process of things.
I’ve been without my cell phone for about 72 hours after it got stolen. On one hand, I obviously need it, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t mind trading my phone and Spotify for a landline at home, a journal, and a Sony Walkman.
And I remember, what comes fast, leaves faster. This is why art is timeless.
Before you go…
Happy December. Happy Monday. Happy Birthday to all you amazing Sagittariuses!
Make good decisions. Make things count. Sending positive vibes your way.
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